Final Theory
- September 21, 2018
- Monticube
- 235h median play time
Get on Steam"Final Theory" is a 4X-lite turn-based strategy game where players command fleets of battleships in a galactic civil war. The game features an innovative hex grid combat system, six difficulty levels, and seven ship classes with various upgrades and abilities to choose from. Additionally, there are two DLCs available - The Syndicate Navy and The Royal Navy, both featuring unique armor plating, weapons, and more.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging turn-based tactical combat with a variety of ship classes and upgrades.
- Simple mechanics that allow for strategic depth, making each move important.
- Visually appealing graphics and sound design enhance the overall experience.
- Limited to one fleet move per turn, which can slow down gameplay and make it feel tedious.
- Lack of variety in factions and ships, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- AI can feel predictable and lacks depth in strategic decision-making.
- gameplay101 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Final Theory" is characterized by its easy-to-learn mechanics that offer strategic depth, particularly in fleet composition and resource management. However, the limitation of moving only one fleet per turn can slow down the pace and may detract from the overall experience for some players. While combat mechanics are engaging and visually appealing, the game lacks a variety of interesting decisions as it progresses, leading to potential repetitiveness in longer playthroughs.
“All the mechanics are easy to learn, but allow for a lot of depth in fleet composition and upgrade choices.”
“The game is visually excellent, combat mechanics work well, weapons and abilities all look and sound very good.”
“The gameplay is interesting & reasonably distinct, the interface is sleek, the graphics & sound are lovely and so far it seems to run quite smoothly.”
“The game is bogged down by a 'can only move one fleet a turn' mechanic. From what I can tell, this was implemented to create the illusion that each decision is important (it's not), and to slow down how quickly you can advance across and conquer the galaxy so that you do not realize how small it actually is. It is also used to give the main enemy a greater sense of threat as they can perform two fleet movements a turn.”
“Each turn you can only move one fleet on a very large map - I found this slowed down gameplay to a halt, and on such a large map I was not motivated to continue.”
“This game has a shortage of interesting decisions: once you have basic system mastery, there's a whole lot of mechanical automation along an optimal path and a few low-agency random choices.”
- graphics73 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many users praising the stunning visuals, detailed ship designs, and clean user interface. While some reviewers note that the graphics are not groundbreaking, they appreciate the overall aesthetic and the enjoyable combat animations. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the gameplay experience, making it a visually appealing title despite some minor criticisms regarding specific views or elements.
“The visuals are stunning (as space games are meant to be), and the combat allows for diverse naval tactics.”
“The graphics are very nice, the ships look good, and the galaxy in which you play, while simplistic in form, looks pretty decent too.”
“Despite its minimalist approach to 4X, everything is done beautifully, with masterful sound design on weapons that have a weighty feel to them and very detailed ship models.”
“The graphics are pretty but nothing truly special nowadays - they won't get in the way at all though, and certainly the first time you get a new ship class you'll probably spend some time appreciating the look of it.”
“Graphics could have been better in the map view.”
“The graphics and sound are passable, but nothing special.”
- story27 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely considered minimal and forgettable, with players noting a lack of substantial narrative or character development. While some appreciate the simplicity and find the absence of a complex storyline acceptable for gameplay, others criticize it for being too simplistic and lacking engaging content. Overall, the story serves merely as a backdrop for the mechanics, with some players finding the ending unexpectedly satisfying despite the overall narrative shortcomings.
“Kudos to the developers, it's such a 'small' thing but storytelling done like this is something I didn't see in big productions like Stellaris or Galactic Civilizations.”
“Though the science seemed a bit ho-hum, the story was extremely well done in an understated way, which synergized perfectly with the beautiful epic music.”
“For a game with just about zero story, the ending is oddly satisfying; I laughed my head off.”
“The story is mostly forgettable, as you play a group of humans who wish to bring about the final theory for unlimited power, as the unobtanium in this game is running low.”
“There's not really any story or narrative aside from a bit of text that I saw at the start of the campaign.”
“The simplicity of the game is also its weakness because it has no storyline that matters to the gamer.”
- replayability24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the tactical depth and potential for varied strategies, many express concerns about limited content and repetitive gameplay, leading to a generally low replay value. Additional DLCs and future content updates could enhance the experience, but currently, the game may not offer enough variety for extended play.
“I hope it will get some more content, both navies and maybe some more variety on the map/world generation for improved replayability.”
“The battle system allows for different strategies to increase replayability.”
“There are probably other ways to set up your fleets as well, so there is some replayability if you have fun experimenting with different tactics.”
“I would not buy this game as the replay value is extremely low and even the first playthrough is ruined by that choke point experience.”
“Replayability is therefore rather limited but I had a lot of fun with the ~10 hours campaign.”
“When it comes to replayability, it is devastating.”
- music15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting it as a standout feature. While some describe the soundtrack as simple, it is often noted to be satisfying and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, contributing to the immersive gameplay. Overall, the sound design, including music and audio effects, is considered a strong point, complementing the game's graphics and lore effectively.
“The devs should be complimented on making such a professional game as the graphics, music, user interface, and gameplay have clearly been a labor of love.”
“Graphics (in ship fights), sound, and music are definitely highlights of this game.”
“Despite its minimalist approach to 4X, everything is done beautifully, with masterful sound design on weapons that have a weighty feel to them and a superb soundtrack.”
“Another issue impacting the replayability is the soundtrack/art.”
“Music is a bit dramatic but it helps with the atmosphere.”
“Its a nice fun game, with two gameplay layers that work well, and no distractions from the lore, animation, art or music.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant investment to progress, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the strategic depth, many feel that the slow pace and repetitive tasks, such as limited movement per turn and lengthy combat resolutions, make the experience feel more like a chore than engaging gameplay. However, options for automatic resolution are available to alleviate some of the grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Planet populations, economies, diplomacy, building stuff, that all just drags them down and makes them tedious to play for me.”
“On the galaxy map as well as in combat, it makes everything extremely slow and tedious.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no bugs or glitches encountered during gameplay. It runs smoothly and performs reliably, contributing to a positive gaming experience.
“No bugs, no glitches, does exactly what it says on the tin.”
“At least for me, it's been bug-free.”
“The game has been completely bug-free for me, which is a plus and something I quite often don't see.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game creates a high-stakes atmosphere that emphasizes strategic decision-making, despite its unrealistic elements. The graphics are visually appealing and adaptable for various system capabilities, while the dramatic music enhances the overall ambiance.
“Graphics are good and can be toned down for less beefy systems without too much loss in atmosphere.”
“This is terribly unrealistic, but it creates a high-stakes game atmosphere where you are trying to maximize the value of your singular move and deploy fleets in locations where they will be useful immediately upon spawning.”
“Graphics are good and can be toned down for less powerful systems without too much loss in atmosphere.”
“Music is a bit dramatic, but it helps with the atmosphere.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews suggest that while the game's optimization is adequate, the repetitive flat battle environments may lead to a lack of challenge and excitement, indicating that perfect AI optimization could detract from the overall experience.
“The optimization of the game mechanics really enhances the overall experience, making each battle feel unique and engaging.”
“I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimizing the AI, which adds a layer of challenge without becoming frustrating.”
“The game's optimization allows for smooth gameplay, ensuring that even in intense moments, everything runs seamlessly.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players feel a lack of emotional connection to the ships, viewing them merely as pawns in the game, which diminishes the overall emotional impact. The uniformity of ship types available to both players and enemies further contributes to this detachment.
